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Technology
Spotify pilots Premium Early Access for new music releases in India
✍️ routenote.com
🗓 24 Sep 2026, 07:17 AM
👁 14
Spotify is trialling a Premium Early Access feature that lets paying subscribers stream new music releases before they become available to free users, beginning with select titles in India.
Spotify has launched a pilot program in India that offers its Premium subscribers early access to newly released tracks. Under the test, selected songs will be available to paying users a few days before they appear for free-tier listeners. The move aims to add value to the Premium tier and curb subscriber churn in a market where streaming competition is intensifying.
The company has not disclosed the exact number of titles or the duration of the trial, but industry analysts expect the feature to roll out gradually across major Indian labels. By giving subscribers a first-listen advantage, Spotify hopes to strengthen its foothold against rivals such as JioSaavn and Apple Music, which also vie for premium users.
If the experiment proves successful, Spotify may expand the early‑access model to a broader catalog and potentially make it a permanent offering. The initiative reflects the streaming platform's broader strategy to tailor services to regional markets and boost revenue from its growing Indian user base.
The company has not disclosed the exact number of titles or the duration of the trial, but industry analysts expect the feature to roll out gradually across major Indian labels. By giving subscribers a first-listen advantage, Spotify hopes to strengthen its foothold against rivals such as JioSaavn and Apple Music, which also vie for premium users.
If the experiment proves successful, Spotify may expand the early‑access model to a broader catalog and potentially make it a permanent offering. The initiative reflects the streaming platform's broader strategy to tailor services to regional markets and boost revenue from its growing Indian user base.